Kent State University
18-13, 10-8MAC
Akron
24-7, 14-4MAC
Men's Basketball Snaps Win Streak Against Akron
3/4/2017 12:38:00 AM | Men's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – The Kent State University men's basketball team (18-13, 10-8 MAC) snapped its six-game winning streak Friday, falling to the Akron Zips (24-7, 14-4 MAC) at home, 66-56. The Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge series was evened at 1-1.
"It was a three point game with five minutes to go, and we had our chances," said head coach Rob Senderoff. "To their credit, they made big plays. Last time we played them, we made big plays. That's just how it falls. We didn't shoot the ball very well, but you can't fault the effort. We competed as hard as you can compete."
The result puts Kent State in the sixth seed in the 2017 MAC Tournament. The Golden Flashes will host 11th seed Central Michigan Monday at 7 p.m. Tickets are available through the ticket office at 330-672-2244.
Prior to the game, Kent State athletics and the men's basketball program honored three seniors in their final regular season home game in Jon Fleming, Deon Edwin and Jimmy Hall. Hall went on to lead the Flashes with 16 points on 50 percent shooting. He also had a team-best 11 rebounds to secure his 19th double-double of the season. He will enter the postseason tied for third all-time at Kent State in scoring. Edwin was the lead distributor at four assists, while contributing 12 points and seven rebounds.
Akron led the entire first half after opening up a quick 5-0 lead on the Flashes. Akron started hot and worked its lead to 19-8 nine minutes into the game. Kevin Zabo hit a 3-pointer on the next possession to start an 8-0 run, nearly erasing the deficit. Akron led by as much as six points the rest of the half, but Edwin hit a pair of jumpers to keep the game close. Akron led, 32-28, at halftime.
Akron's Isaiah Johnson started the second half with a layup, but Edwin and Hall combined for a quick 6-0 run to tie the game for the first time at 34-34. Akron picked up two points in the paint, but a Jaylin Walker 3-pointer game Kent State its first lead at 37-36 with 17:08 left.
Walker helped capture a one-point lead again just over a minute later, but Akron scored six straight points to take back the lead for good. Akron made just enough plays down the stretch to keep Kent State at a short distance, and shot 3-for-5 from 3-point range over the last nine minutes. Kent State stayed within a couple of possessions until the 4:55 mark, when a Noah Robotham 3-pointer ignited a 10-0 Zip run. It was the longest of the game and put Akron up by its widest margin at 66-53. Jalen Avery scored three points the hard way with 1:27 remaining, securing the final score.
Kent State shot 33.3 percent (20-for-60) from the floor Friday, while Akron shot 41.0 percent (25-for-61. Kent State won the turnover battle, 10-13, while the rebounding count was tied at 40.
Walker scored 13 points Friday and tied a career high of nine rebounds. Avery finished with seven points, three rebounds and three assists. Danny Pippen and Zabo each contributed four points.
The winner of Monday's game against Central Michigan will move on to face Buffalo at Quicken Loans Arena Thursday in the night cap of the quarterfinal round.
